Layer blending modes have been part of Photoshop for years, but because they're not easy to understand at first glance, this immensely useful feature tends to get overlooked. "Photoshop Blending Modes Cookbook for Digital Photographers" is the only recipe-format book that covers blending modes specifically for digital photographers.
The book Changing hue, saturation, luminosity, and color Correcting basic color shifts Repairing highlights Sharpening or softening focus Adjusting lighting for subtle or dramatic effects Controlling contrast Creating surface effects and textures Adding interest to landscapes and urban scenes Enhancing portraits of children and adults Simulating graphics arts techiques and much more.
Unlike Photoshop's built-in filters, blending modes don't change the actual pixels that make up an image, so their effects are completely reversible. There are over 20 blending modes in Photoshop CS2, which range from those which darken and lighten images (such as Darken, Multiply, Lighten, and Screen) to modes that increase contrast (such as Overlay and Hard Light) and adjust color (such as Hue, Color. Luminosity, and Saturation).
In addition to covering each blending mode in detail, John Beardsworth, a London-based photographer and author, takes the reader through a whole collection of recipes that demonstrate how to use blending modes alone or in combination to fix problem photos, add subtle effects, and create dramatic images that are truly unique.
With clear, step-by-step instructions, real-world projects, an easy-to-follow format, and hundreds of full-color examples, "Photoshop Blending Modes Cookbook for Digital Photographers" is shows you how to use blending modes to achieve a wide range of image adjustments and special effects-without having to first learn everything there is to know about Photoshop.
Don't Miss Out!! The O'Reilly Photoshop Cook-Off Contest Deadline is August 15--No Entry Fee, Great Prizes!
O'Reilly's 2006 Photoshop Cook-Off Contest is an opportunity flex your imagination and ingenuity, have lots of fun, and win great prizes--like a Pentax K100D Digital SLR and DA 18 - 55 mm Lens Kit or an Epson Stylus Photo R2400 printer. The Grand Prize winner will receive a prize package worth more than $9,600. Five category winners will receive packages worth more than $3,000 each. The total value of all prizes exceeds $27,000.
It's easy to participate. Just take up to three of your own photos and manipulate them with Adobe Photoshop, using recipes from any of O'Reilly's five Photoshop Cookbooks Starting with an original photograph, choose an appropriate recipe (or two) and cook up a masterpiece, adapting the recipes as necessary for your creative vision. On the online entry form, you'll list the recipes you used, and submit both your original digital image and the "cooked" image you've created. The submission process is a snap, there's no entry fee, and anyone over the age of 14 can enter. Deadline for entry is August 15, 2006. Prizes will be awarded on November 2, 2006 at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York.
Cook-Off Sponsors include: Adobe, Creative Pro, "Digital Photo Pro," Epson, ExpoImaging, Flickr, Friesen's: The Yearbook Company, Graphics.com, Gretag Macbeth, iView Multimedia, Imaginginfo.com, Imaging Resource, iStock Photo, Lensbabies, Lowepro, Lynda.com, Nik Software, "Outdoor Photographer," Pantone, "PC Photo," Pentax, Pexagon Technology, Photos.com, Photoshopsupport.com, "Photo Trade News," "Professional Photographer," "Rangefinder," Silicon Power, Shutterstock, Software Cinema, "Studio Photography," Total Training, Wetzel & Company.
Don't miss out--O'Reilly's 2006 Photoshop Cook-Off is a great way to cultivate your creative genius, showcase your talent, and take home fabulous prizes. Fire up Adobe Photoshop and get cooking now!
Other important details:
-Deadline for entries is August 15, 2006. No entry fee.
-All entries must be created using recipes from one or more of the five O'Reilly Photoshop Cookbooks: "Photoshop Retouching Cookbook for Digital Photographers," "Photoshop Blending Modes Cookbook for Digital Photographers," "Photoshop Photo Effects Cookbook," "Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia," and/or "Photoshop Fine Art Effects Cookbook."
-Winners will be announced on November 2, at a special awards ceremony to be held at Photo Plus Expo in New York.
-Legal U.S. residents only.
About O'Reilly Media For over 25 years, O'Reilly Media has illuminated the spaces where innovation, creativity, and technology converge. Nowhere is this more exciting than in the rapidly expanding sphere of creative media, specifically digital photography, graphics, video, audio, and illustration. From in-depth tutorials and comprehensive references to techniques cookbooks and creative guides, O'Reilly connects you to the technologies--and the leading experts--in print, online, and in person. Visit digitalmedia.oreilly.com.
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